14 May – 1 November 2022
Vera Möller is interested in the slippery boundaries between the real and the imagined in the natural world. Möller creates paintings, collages, photographs and sculptures of fictional hybrid plants and organisms. These are inspired by her observations gathered during fieldtrips into freshwater terrains or marine environments. Images seen on Instagram or from nature documentaries are another rich source of information for her. Bright colours, patterns, coral-like and succulent-plant forms describe her depictions of dreamt-up specimens that evoke the natural world. Möller’s ‘fantasy specimens’ are the results of creative studio experimentation and highlight the way in which her science background and art practice have steadily converged.
Liquidarium will bring together a new sequence of large-scale collages to be shown in conjunction with an installation of hundreds of plant-like small sculptures. These are accompanied by a new series of small collages. The individual large collages together with kinetic collage elements and sculptural forms will merge to create a diorama of a discrete section of an imaginary freshwater wetland as viewed from an intimate, close-up perspective of a frog. The intention is to create a spatial encounter for children that might be reminiscent of the dioramas found in Natural History Museums.
About the artist
Vera Möller (b. 1955, Breman, Germany; lives and works Naarm/Melbourne) studied Biology, Microbiology and Theology in Wurzburg and Munich before immigrating to Australia in 1986. After moving to Australia she completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at the Victorian College of the Arts and a PhD at Monash University. Her work has been exhibited in the USA, Japan, Finland, France, Germany and the UK, as well as throughout Australia.
Curator: Jessica O’Farrell
Location: SAM Children’s Gallery, Level 2
Free
Exhibition supporters
Government Partners
Greater Shepparton City Council
Creative Victoria
Learning & Engagement Partner
University of Melbourne